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C. P. BACKLUND.

HANDLING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1918-,

1,322,864. V Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

' INVENTOR, WITNESSES Carl Z) w-QM.

ATTORNEY,

snares rarnnr ame.

CARL'P. BAGKLU'ND, OF ST. LOUIS,'1VIISSOUZRI.

HANDLING-TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. .25, 1919.

Application filed aanuar is, 1918. Serial in). 211,978.

My invention relates to a handling tool and particularly to a device attachable to small articles like boxes containing-shoe pol- V ish, to serve as a handle therefor.

The primary o b'ect of the invention is to provide an article of this kind which may be made in a single piece preferably from flexible wire, simple in construction and capable of manufacture at. minimum cost,

and which embodies a portion to grip the box or other article and handle portions capable of being locked together so that the box or other article will 1 be effectively grasped or held.

With the above and additional objects, such as willbe pointed out in the following description, the invention has been embodied in one preferred form as illustrated in accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of my imroved tool, shown associated with a box;

Fig. 2 is a top view'of the tool with the handle sections locked;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the tool with the handle sections unlocked, and

Fig. 4 is an edge or end view of the tool,

with the handle sections locked.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the tool may be made in a single strand, from flexible wire or equivalent material and is shaped to provide a gripping ring portion at 5 from the terminals of which, handle sections 6 and 7 respectively lead. These handle sections are elongated and one sectiou' has an angle arm at 8 which terminates in an upstanding lug 9, preferably curved into a hook as shown in Fig. 4.. V

The tool is tensioned so that it will normally be in the form shown in' Fig. 3. hen in this form or shape, a box like that shown at A in Fig. 1, or any other article desired may be disposed within the ring 5, whereupon the section 7 is moved toward the section 6, contracting the ring 5 and causing it to frictionally and tightly engage the exterior of the box. At the same time, arm-7 is moved past the lug 9 and then lightly depressed, whereupon it will be hooked by the arm 9 and the sections 6 and 7 held in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and l, with the article A tightly grasped.

An article of this kind, may beinade at very low cost, and occupies exceedingly small space in shipment. It can therefore well serve as anaccessory for boxes containing shoe polish, as it is capable ofbeing packed 1n the same cartons or contalners as the boxes, and without necessitating enlarging of the boxes. Particularly too, in con nection with shoe polish and the like, the article serves as an effective handle or means for holding the box in such a way thatthe hands of the user are not likely to'come into contact with the contents of the box and become soiled.

Since merely one preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described, it isto be understood thatchanges 1n the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim Ahandling tool, formed of a single length of flexible material of like thickness throughout, comprising a body portion, handles extending from said. body portion, said handles and body portion being tensioned to normally spread apart, one of said handles having its outer extremity bent at a right angle and terminating in an upwardly and inwardly extending hook portion whereby the handle members may be interlocked in a tension app-lying position. In testimony whereof I" aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARL P. BACKLUND. Witnesses: V

MARTIN C. TEAsDALE, GROVE B. GRODDY. 

